Dunlop Tortex Flow Hetfield 'White Fang' 1.14mm: the Metallica rhythm pick
Dunlop's James Hetfield Signature Tortex Flow 'White Fang' guitar pick, 1.14mm thickness, sharper Flow shape, custom Hetfield bevel. The signature SKU built around his Metallica down-picking attack. With citations from Dunlop's signature artist page.
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
Dunlop's James Hetfield Signature Tortex Flow 'White Fang' is a 1.14mm thrash-metal rhythm pick built around Hetfield's exact specification. Tortex (Delrin) material in the sharper Flow shape with a custom Hetfield bevel. The 1.14mm thickness is the spec Hetfield uses for Metallica's down-picked rhythm work across the band's catalog from Kill 'Em All through 72 Seasons. Dunlop produced it as a signature SKU because the standard Tortex Flow line didn't ship at the 1.14mm gauge Hetfield wanted; the White Fang is the production answer to that gap.
What this pick is
The James Hetfield Signature Tortex Flow 'White Fang' is Dunlop's collaboration with James Hetfield — Metallica's rhythm guitarist, lead vocalist, and primary songwriter. The pick is the Tortex Flow shape (sharper than the standard Tortex 351) at 1.14mm thickness, molded in Tortex (Delrin polymer), with a custom Hetfield bevel and a white finish.
Dunlop produced the White Fang as a signature SKU specifically because the standard Tortex Flow line didn't include a 1.14mm gauge — Hetfield wanted that exact thickness, and Dunlop built the SKU around it. The signature relationship is current and documented on Dunlop's artist roster page.
Anatomy
Why this fits the thrash-metal rhythm lane
A 1.14mm Tortex Flow is the canonical thrash-metal rhythm pick. The thickness gives controlled down-picked attack — the pick doesn't flex under hard down-picking the way a 0.88mm would. The Tortex material has consistent grip across sweat-soaked tracking sessions and live performances; celluloid and nylon both lose grip when wet. The Flow shape's sharper tip delivers more attack definition than the standard 351, which is what makes Metallica's chugged rhythm parts read as articulated rather than wash through high-gain amplification.
The custom Hetfield bevel is the differentiator from the standard Tortex Flow. Hetfield's down-picking technique across Metallica's catalog (the canonical examples are the verse riff of "Master of Puppets," the chugged rhythm of "Battery," and the gallop of "One") generates more pick-on-string friction than typical alternate picking; the Hetfield bevel reduces that drag without sacrificing transient definition.
Best for
- Thrash-metal and metal rhythm guitar with hard down-picking attack
- Hard-rock rhythm work where the pick needs to survive long tracking sessions without grip degradation
- Players who've used the standard Tortex 1.14mm and want the sharper Flow shape with a more refined bevel
Worst for
- Acoustic strumming — Flow shape too sharp; standard 351 in celluloid is the lane
- Fast Jazz III-style lead playing — Flow is too large compared to a Jazz III
- Beginners learning alternate picking — the 1.14mm thickness is unforgiving; start with 0.73mm or 0.88mm
Verdict
The Hetfield White Fang is the rhythm pick for thrash and metal. The Flow shape plus the 1.14mm thickness plus the custom Hetfield bevel is the production answer to "what does James Hetfield's pick feel like." If you want his exact spec, this is the only SKU. If you want the same Tortex material in a different shape, step to the standard Tortex 1.14mm purple 351 for the broader feel.
Tortex Flow James Hetfield 'White Fang' 1.14mm
Why this one: James Hetfield's signature pick. 1.14mm Tortex Flow with a custom Hetfield bevel. The exact spec across Metallica's down-picked rhythm catalog.
Related
- The player on this pick: James Hetfield, Metallica
- For prog-metal lead work: see the Dunlop John Petrucci Jazz III 1.5mm review
- For broader Tortex shape: the standard Tortex 1.14mm purple 351 covers the all-purpose lane
Frequently asked questions
What thickness is the Hetfield White Fang?
1.14mm. Available also in 1.0mm in the same Hetfield Signature line. The 1.14mm is the thicker spec, used for harder down-picking on heavily down-tuned guitars.
Are these the same picks James Hetfield uses?
Yes. Dunlop's James Hetfield Signature SKU is built around his exact specification, listed on Dunlop's roster as a current production pick. The Flow shape, the 1.14mm thickness, the custom Hetfield bevel, and the white color (hence 'White Fang') are all his preferences for Metallica's rhythm work.
What's the difference between Tortex Flow and standard Tortex Standard?
Shape. The Flow has a sharper, more contoured profile with a textured grip area; the Standard has the classic 351-shape outline. Both use the same Delrin Tortex material. Flow shape gives more attack precision (the sharper tip transient is more defined); Standard is the all-purpose pick shape. Hetfield specified the Flow shape for his signature pick.
How does this compare to a standard Tortex 1.14mm?
Same material, same gauge, different shape and bevel. The standard Tortex 1.14mm (purple) is the 351 shape with a stock bevel. The Hetfield White Fang is the Flow shape with a custom Hetfield bevel and a white finish. Pick by shape preference: Flow for sharper attack, Standard for the classic feel.
Why white?
Visibility. Hetfield uses dark guitars (his vintage P-basses and his ESP/LTD signatures are typically black or dark) and the white pick is easier to find on the floor of a stage. The 'White Fang' name plays on the visual contrast plus Metallica's metal aesthetic.
Will this work for non-thrash playing?
Yes for any rhythm-heavy genre (hard rock, metalcore, prog-metal rhythm parts). The Flow shape and 1.14mm thickness are also viable for fast alternate-picked lead work, though most lead players prefer the smaller Jazz III shape. The pick is optimized for down-picked rhythm; that's the lane.
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